Ironing-machine.



W. FRENCH.

IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1909.

Patented June 14, 1910.

4 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

W. FRENCH. IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1909.

Patented June 14, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. FRENCH. IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1909.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Patented June 14, 1910.

W. FRENCH.

IRONING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25, 1909.

Patented June 14, 1910.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

entrain sirarns PATENT ormoa WALTER FRENCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STEEL ROLL MACHINE COMPANY, OF.CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION.

IRONINGr-MACHINE.

T 0 all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IroningMachines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to ironing machines and seeks to provide a simple and efiective construction which can be readily controlled and operated for ironing sheets, table linen and the like.

A. further object of the invention is to provide an ironing machine of this type that is simple and strong in construction, but which consists of few parts and is economical to manufacture.

The invention consists in the features of imp rovement hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

I n the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved machine. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 33 of Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are end views of a modified form with the gearing omitted and with the press-roll shown in its different positions. Fig. 6 is an end view of the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 8 is a plan view of parts shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

The main frame of the machine comprises a pair of end supports 1 and 2 having feet 8 by which the machine may be secured to a suitable base or table. A metal ironingshoe 4 extends transversely between the end supports 1 and 2 and is securely connected thereto by bolts 5. The ironing-shoe is concave, as shown, upon its face, is inclined upwardly and rearwardly and is arranged between the upper, rear portions of the end supports. The shoe may be heated in any suitable manner. Preferably, a transverse burner pipe 6 for gas, or mixed as and air, extends transversely in rear 0? the lower end of the ironing-shoe 4 to heat the same. The upper portion of the pipe is provided with slits 7 so arranged that the flame will strike upon and effectively heat the shoe 4. Rearwardly projecting flanges 8, formed on the shoe adjacent its upper and lower edges, prevent the radiation and escape of heat, and a perforated shield 9 fits over the flanges 8 Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgd June 14L, 1916),

Application filed August 25, 1909. Serial No. 514,645.

and is secured thereto by screws 10 and is so arranged as to guard the burner pipe and the flame projected therefrom.

The press-roll 11, which cotiperates with the shoe 4, is provided with a covering 12 of suitableyielding material. The shaft 13 of the press-roll is journaled at its ends to the upper, rearward corners of a pair of triangular side arms 14. These side arms are arranged within the end supports 1 and 2 and are pivotally connected thereto at points in front of the lower end of the ironing-shoe 4. The left-hand side arm is pivoted to the adjacent end support 2 by a pivot pin 15. The right-hand side arm is pivotally mounted upon a..short shaft 16 that is mounted upon the adjacent side support 1 in line with the pivot pin 15. A board. 17, arranged in front of the press-roll, extends between and is securely connected by screws 18 to .the upper, front portions of the triangular sidearms 14. The board serves as a connection between the side arms and also serves as a guide board to direct the pieces to be ironed 'over the press-roll 11. The press-roll is driven from a pinion 19 mounted upon the shaft 16 and which meshes with a gear 20 fixed to the right-hand end of theroll shaft, 13. The parts are so arranged that the side arms 14 can be moved to thereby shift the press-roll 11 to and from the shoe 4 with-v out interfering with the mesh of the gears 19 and 20.

The side arms and press-roll-are shifted and the press-roll is .yieldingly' locked in .engagement with the ironing-shoe by suitable, spring-held toggle mechanism. Prefenably, a toggle is arranged at each end of the pressroll and they are controlled from a transverse shaft 21 that is journaled in the end supports 1 and 2 at the upper, rear ortions thereof. This shaft is provided wit a pair of curved rock arms 22 which are pivoted to the rear ends of a pair of upwardly and forwardly inclined links 23. The forward ends of these links are forked and pivoted to the rear ends of a pair of bolts 24.that extend through openings in extensions 25 on the upper, rear corners of the triangular side arms 14. -Nuts 26 are threaded upon the ends of the bolts 24 and heavy cushion springs 27 are interposed between the nuts and the extensions 25 on the side arms. The right-hand rock arm 22 on the shaft 21 isprovided with an extension 28 to which an;

shoe and is forced uniformly operating lever 29 is fixed. The arms 22 are connected to thelinks 23 by pivot pins 30 and the links 23 are connected to the bolts 24 by pivot pins 31. Each arm 22 and link 23 constitutes a toggle between the rock-shaft 21 and the side arms 14, and the parts are so arranged that, when the press roll 11 is in engagement with the ironingshoe 4, the centers of the pivot pins 31 and of the rock-shaft 21 will be substantially in line with the center lines of the bolts 24, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 6, while the centers of the pivot pins 30 are slightly above these lines. The toggles are thus slightly beyond dead center position and the pressroll is locked into engagement with the shoe. However, by reason of the yielding connection between the toggles and the side arms 14, formed by the bolts 24 and springs 27, the press-roll is yieldingly held against the and snugly against the same, so that the linen or the like will be smoothly ironed.

As stated, and as usual with machinesof this type, the press roll is provided with a felt covering and, to prevent the scorching of the covering, it is shifted out of engagement by lifting the lever 29 and swinging it rearwardly into the position shown in Fig. 5. The side arms 14 and press-roll 11 carried thereby are'then swung forwardly away from the ironing-shoe through the medium of the rock-arms 22 and connecting links 23. By again swinging the lever 29 back into the position shown in Fig. 4, the roll will again be shifted into engagement with the shoe 4 and snugly forced against the same by the springs 27. i

The side arms 14 and the connecting board 17 form a supplemental frame within which the press-roll iscarried, the. supplemental frame being pivoted to the main frame so that the roll can be swung to and from the ironing-shoe. In operation, the press-roll is locked and is yieldingly held against the shoe by the spring toggle mechanism described. The roll is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, and the sheets, table linen and the like are fed over the guide-board 17 onto the roll, are carried thereby past the ironing-shoe 4 and, at the same time, are pressed into-contact with the concave surface of the shoe. From the shoe, the goods pass out in forward direction from beneath'the press-roll. The pressure of the roll upon the shoe can be properly regulated by. adjusting the nuts'26 on the bolts 24and the shift of the roll into and out of engagement with the shoe does not disturb this ad- I justment.

The pinion 19 which rotated the pressroll through the medium of the gear 20 can be driven in any suitable manner. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pinion 19 is fixed to a large gear 32 concentric theresheets, table with and also mounted upon the shaft 16. This large gear meshes with the teeth of a pinion 33 which is mounted upon a short shaft 34 at the upper, front corner of the right-hand end support 1. A crank 35, having a handle 36, is connected to the inion 33 so that the latter may be manua y rotated and motion transmitted thereby to the press-roll 11 through the medium of the gears 32, 19 and 20. The operating crank 35 and controlling lever 29 are conveniently arranged at the right-hand end of the machine within easy reach of the operator.

The form shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 8, is designed to be driven from a continuousl operated power shaft. This power shaft 37 is arranged within a suitable casing 38 and is j ournaled in bearings 39 fixed to the righthand end support 1. The rear end of the shaft is provided with a pulley 40 by which it may be driven from any suitable sources of power. In this form, the shaft '37 is provided beneath the shaft 16 with a worm 41 which meshes with a worm-wheel 42 upon the shaft 16. A pinion 19 takes the place of the pinion 19 shown in Fig. 2 and, like that pinion, is mounted on the shaft 16 and meshes with the teeth of the gear 20 that is fixed to the end of the press-roll shaft-13. The hub of the pinion 19 is provided with a rearwardly projecting sleeve 43 which extends through the worm-wheel 42, and the hub of this pinion is also provided on its rear face with a series of ratchet teeth 44 which are arranged to engage a similar series of ratchet teeth 45 formed on the front end of the hub of the worm-wheel 42. The pinion is longitudinally shiftable on the shaft 16 into and out of engagement with the worm-wheel that is continuously driven by the worm 41 and the power shaft 37. The outer end of the shaft 16 in this form extends through a portion 46 that projects upwardly from the casing 38 of the driveshaft 37. A spring 47 is coiled about the shaft 16 and extends between the portion 46 and the pinion 19 and is seated at its inner end in an annular recess 48 in the face of the pinion. This spring normally holds the ratchet teeth 44 in mesh with the ratchet teeth 45 on the worm-wheel 42. When the lever 29 is lifted to throw the press-roll away from the ironing shoe, in the manner previously described, the pinion 19 is forced out of engagement with the worm-wheel 42 by a shifter 49. The rear end of this shifter is pivoted to a projection 50 on the' hub of the right-hand rock-arm 22. Its inner end is forked, extends over the shaft 16 and is arranged between the inner end of the sleeve 43 of the pinion 19' and a portion 51 of the casing 38 that engages the shaft 16. The forked end of the shifter is provided with cam lugs 52 which, when the press-roll is held in engagement with the ironing-shoe,

lever 29 thus acts to simultaneously throw the press-roll to and from the ironing shoe and also controls the clutch mechanism by which it is connected and disconnected from the drive-shaft- 37 It is obvious that numerous changes can be made in the details set forth without departure from the essentials of the invention.

I claim as my invention 1. In an ironing machine, the combination with a main frame comprising end supports, of an ironing shoe extending between and fixed to the upper rear portions of said side supports, a shaft journaled in the,frame' in front of said shoe, a supplemental frame comprising a pair of connected side arms pivotally mounted at their lower ends in line with said shaft, a press-roll journaled in the upper ends of said sidearms, intermeshing drive gears mounted on said shaft and on the shaft of said press-roll, a transverse rock shaft journaled in the upper rear portions of said end supports, arms on the ends of said rock shaft, links pivoted to said arms, adjustable spring connections between the forward ends of said links and the upper ends of the side arms of the supple mental frame, and a lever for shifting said rock shaft to yieldingly lock said press-roll in engagement with said ironing shoe, sub stantially as described.

2. In an ironing machine, the combination with a main frame comprising end supports, of an ironing shoe extending between and fixed to the upper rear portions of said side supports, a shaft journaled in the frame in front of said shoe,va supplemental frame comprising a pair of connected side arms pivotally mounted at their lower ends in line with said shaft, a press-roll journaled in the upper ends of said side arms, intermeshing drive gears mounted on said shaft and on the shaft of said ress-roll, a transverse rock shaft journaled 1n the upper rear portions of said end supports, arms on the ends of said rock shaft, links pivoted to said arms, bolts pivoted to the forward ends of said arms and extending through the upper ends of said roll-sup orting side arms, adjusting nuts on said olts, springs mounted on said bolts between said nuts and said side arms, and a lever for shifting said rock shaft, substantially as described.

3. In an ironing machine, the combination with end supports, of an ironing shoe ex tending between and fixed to said end supports, a shaft mounted on one of said end supports, a pair of connected side arms pivoted to said end supports in line with said shaft, a press roll journaled in said side arms, intermeshing gears mounted onsaid shaft and on the shaft of said press roll, a transverse rock shaft journaled in said end supports, arms on said shaft, links pivoted to said arms, bolts pivoted to said links and extending through the ends of said roll-supporting side arms, adjusting nuts on said bolts, springs extending between said nuts and the ends of said side arms and a lever for shifting said rock shaft, substantially as described.

4:- In an ironingmachine, the combination with a main frame comprising a pair of end supports, of an ironing shoe extending between and fixed to the upper rear portions of said endsupports, a shaft journaled in the frame in front of said shoe, a pair of side arms pivotally mounted at their lower ends in line with said shaft, a press-roll journaled in the upper ends of said side arms, intermeshing drive gears mounted on said shaft and on the shaft of said press-roll, a transverse rock shaft journaled in the upper rear portion of said side supports, a pair of rock arms on the ends of said shaft, toggle linksextending between said rock arms and the upper ends of said roll-supporting side arms, said links being pivoted at one end to one of' said pair of arms, bolts pivoted to the other ends of said links and extending through openings in the other pair of arms, adjusting nuts and springs on said bolts, and a lever for shifting said rock shaft to yieldingly lock said press-roll in engagement with said ironing shoe, substantially as described.

In an ironing machine, the combination with a pair of end supports, of an ironing shoe extending between and fixed to the upper rear portions of said side supports, a pair of triangular side arms pivoted at their lower ends to said end supports in front of said ironing shoe, a press-roll journaled' in the upper rear portions of said side arms, a guide board in front of said press-roll and extending between and fixed to said side arms, a shaft arranged in line with the pivots of said side arms, intermeshing drive gears mounted on said shaft and on the shaft shaft to yieldingly lock said press-roll into engagement with said ironing shoe, substantially as described.

6. In an ironing machine, the combination with a main frame comprising a pair of end supports, of'an upwardly and rearwardly inclined ironing shoe extending between and fixed to the upper rear portions of said end supports, a transverse burner pipe extending in rear of the lower portion of said ironing shoe, a shaft mounted on one of said end supports in front of the lower portion of said ironing shoe, a pair of upwardly extending triangular side arms, one pivoted on said shaft and the other pivoted on the opposite end support in line with said shaft, a press-roll journaled in the upper rear portions of said side arms, a guide board arranged in front of said press-roll and extending between and fixed to the upper front portions of said side arms, intermeshing drive gears mounted on said shaft and on the shaft of said press-roll, a rock shaft journaled in the upper portion of said end supports, rock arms on the ends of said shaft, toggle links connecting said rock arms and. the upper rear ends of said roll-sup-' porting side arms, adjustable spring connections between said linksand one of said pairs of arms, and a lever for shifting said rock shaft to yieldingly lock said roll into engagement-with said shoe, substantially as descrlbed.

7. In an ironin machine, the combination with a pair of en supports, of an upwardly and rearwardly inclined ironing shoe extending between and fixed to theupper rear portions of said end supports, a transverse burner pi e extending in rear of the lower portion 0 said ironing shoe, a pair of upwardly extendin side arms pivoted to said end supports in rout of the lower portion of said shoe, a press roll j ournaled between the upper ends of said side arms, a gear on the shaft of said press roll, a drive pinion -mounted in line with the pivots of said side arms and meshing with said gear, a rock shaft journaled in the upper rear portions of said end supports, rock arms on said shaft, links pivoted to said rock arms, bolts pivoted to the forward ends of said links and extending through the upper ends of said side arms, nutson said bolts, cushion the ends of said side arms, a shift lever fixed '50 to said rock shaft and extending upwardly therefrom, and means for operatlng-s'ald drive pinion, substantially as described. a

8. In an ironing machine, the combination with the main frame, of an ironing shoe extending between and fixed to the ends of said main frame, a shaft mounted in sa d frame, a supplemental frame pivoted to sa d main frame in line with the axis, of said shaft, a press-roll journaled in said supplemental frame, intermeshing drive gears mounted on said shaft and on the shaft of said press-roll, a clutch cooperating with said gears, a transverse rock shaft journaled in the ends of said main frame, yielding toggles extending between the ends of said rock shaft and the ends of said supple. mental frame, a shifter for said clutch connected to said rock shaft, and a lever for shifting said rock'shaft, substantially as described.

9. In an ironing machine, the combination with the main frame, of an ironing shoe extending between and fixed to the ends of said main frame, a shaft mounted in said frame, a supplemental framepivoted to said main frame in line with the axis of said shaft,'a ress roll journaled in said su plemental rame, a gear fixed to the sha t of said press roll, a drive pinion mounted on the shaft on said frame and meshing with said gear, a drive gear on said shaft, said pinion bein shiftable into and out'of engagement wlth said drive gear, a rock shaft journaled in the main frame, a shifter for said pinion connected to said rock shaft,

toggle links connecting said rock shaft and -said su plemental frame for moving said press r0 1 into and out of engagement with said ironing shoe, and a shift lever connected to said rock shaft, substantiallyas described.

WALTER RENCH.

Witnesses: HARRY L; CLAPP,

KATHARINE GE ACH. 

